Paine Field Planning for Future Demand

WA – Snohomish County has released drawings of a larger passenger terminal at Paine Field, providing a window into how a long-term development playbook for the Everett airport is taking shape. The rough designs are a sampling of the possibilities under consideration as county officials weigh how much space to set aside in the case that the terminal’s private operator pursues an expansion in the next few decades. The layouts were devised as part of a formulaic “master plan” process, according to the county, to evaluate how much space might be needed for various types of development at the airport between now and 2040.

For over two years now, county and airport leaders have been studying how to provide a balance for users from general aviation pilots to aerospace manufacturers with the limited real estate at Paine Field. The new drawings, along with other master plan documents, add to a growing body of evidence that the Everett passenger terminal will need to be expanded in the next 20 years as the demand for airline travel in the Puget Sound region surpasses the capabilities of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
The consultant reports there will be a need for another 400,000 square feet of general aviation space by 2040, including hangar space and tie-down spots. There’s already a waitlist for the county’s general aviation hangars.

Select areas are also being considered for corporate hangars, air cargo facilities, and even urban air mobility, an emerging category of automated air travel technology designed to transport passengers within cities.

At the state level, Paine Field is facing pressure to expand the terminal. The Everett airport is on a state commission’s short list of airports that could grow to absorb unmet demand after Sea-Tac reaches its limit. The Airport Master Plan development started in 2020 and targets completion in 2023. The public has had opportunities for feedback and input since initial draft plans were offered in 2021 and earlier this year.

Visit www.painefieldmasterplan.com to read more about Paine Field’s master planning process.